But staying in the city and trying to work with the community definitely beats the usual stadium construction scam and unwanted racial division that has become far too common in sports today. I was gagged. In our case, the fans, customers, guests or grantees, whatever the case may be, you're going to find out the ultimate truth of what you need to do to build a business response to issues, spot opportunities, deal with problems, whatever it may be. endobj A study by ESPN and FiveThirtyEight in October 2020 showed Blank is a bipartisan contributor to political campaignsbut contributed more to Democratic candidates from 2012 to 2020. The Atlanta media thrashed Arthur Smith, Terry Fontenot, and Arthur Blank about their interest level sometime after the news broke. And at the top of that is who is being served comes first. In Fall 2021, we launched our new Democracy program area with $10 million in grants designed to strengthen key democracy organizations to be resilient for the long haul of this work. One where guys like the Vikings' Mark and Zygi Wilf and Arthur (Home Depot) Blank of the Atlanta Falcons come off as comparatively rational. And they found ways to get things done with people who had a little bit a different view but found that commonality that was really important. We don't have any fans in our building, and this is what we plan on doing: We're going to, you know, promote season tickets for 100 bucks or $10 a ticket. And I remember waiting for, you know, probably two minutes. I went to a small business school outside of Boston called Babson College I would always sit in the front because I always wanted to pay attention and learn. 1 2 . This must happen more than every four years, because theres no offseason for democracy. Political Donations: Blank has largely donated to Democratic causes, most notably: $32,400 to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in 2013; $28,500 to the Obama Victory Fund in '08; and. The latest of Blank's many charitable endeavors is aimed at helping the museum expand its reach. Scott Jensens Dramatic Fall Shows Ads Still Matter. RELATED:Georgia Secretary of State calls many election changes 'solid'. Since then, they have re-organized their focus areas more specifically into four groups: policy advocacy, organizing and civic engagement, impact litigation, and legal services. So it was a great story and is a great story. 7, Blank founded the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation in 1995 and has awarded over $560 million to causes such as education and early childhood development. << The trouble is that the NFL is not coming clean on that investigation. The system has worked well for the multi-billionaire and co-founder of The Home Depot. All the issues that Colin [Kaepernick] raised at that time [2016-2107] about the social injustice and lack of equality and equity in the criminal system and all those issues, I think they were real then and they're certainly real now. Expand. And that's it. The 79-year-old philanthropist has supported educational projects to promote civil rights and racial justice. He notes pervasive cynicism about corporate leaders and perceptions that the drive for profit comes at the expense of public good. Our history of voting rights is a constant struggle, a repetitive cycle of expansion followed by restriction. Do it in November. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. And they've worked collectively for the United States, for everybody in this country, 330 million people. So there wasn't a word on the other end of the phone. authenticate users, apply security measures, and prevent spam and abuse, and, display personalised ads and content based on interest profiles, measure the effectiveness of personalised ads and content, and, develop and improve our products and services. Our family foundation seeks to preserve and strengthen our democracy, and weve chosen this as one of our new collective areas of giving. In 1978, they were both fired from Handy Dans by a corporate raider who took over the chains parent company. Their siblings, their families, you know, may have gone to battle and wore a variety of uniforms for our country over many, many years. The 79-year-old co-founder of Atlanta-based The Home Depot . A number of events over the last couple of weeks have reminded us again that the long, worthy quest for equal justice, civility and unity in America is far from over. ATLANTA - Atlanta Falcons Owner Arthur Blank released a statement on Saturday following President Donald Trump's comments on Friday about the NFL. We've broken every season ticket record per game. He and his brother, Michael, were raised in a one-bedroom apartment. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. Blank also contributed $28,500 to the Obama Victory Fund in 2008. Prior to the construction of the Georgia Dome they played at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium with the Atlanta Braves, and you could see the spot where Hank Aaron surpassed Babe Ruth in home runs. Those come first. And it's all connected not only to associates, but to the communities in which we live and operate. And thats despite our recent record, which hasn't been, you know, one I'm particularly proud of, but we'll get better. Hes a combination of father and brother to me. Home Depot cofounder, Arthur Blank, is a longtime Democratic supporter and donated $250,000 to committees supporting Joe Biden between July and September in 2020, Another Home Depot cofounder, Bernie Marcus, is an. More must be done to address the underlying issues that have led to these incidents across the country. (Airlines resisting vaccination mandates for passengers are another prime example of failure of true leadership.) We hold all the records. So it was good. Looting is NOT THE ANSWER!!! Arthur Blank is worried that capitalism is getting a bad rap. /Type /XObject America has long struggled to deliver a fair and equitable democracy to all of its citizens. A Member of the Blank Family of Businesses. I remember I called the commissioner then, who was Paul Tagliabue, and I say, Well, Paul, I have this idea. 12, Blank has been married three times. The Athletic reported that Blank gave $2,800 to Biden, the Democratic nominee for president, on July 1. That coming the day before the New York Times dropped the bomb(s) about Gruden calling the NFL commissioner a faggot, ripping the leagues concussion protocols, (in other words, Grudens pro-concussion) and trading nudie pictures of cheerleaders. Kirk Cousins Failed His Character Test, But the NFL Gives Him Its Highest Award for Character Anyway, Bidens Junk Fee Fight Should Include Broders Deli as Well as Las Vegas. 2023 Cox Media Group. A documentary surrounding Brian Dowling and Arthur Gourounlian's surrogacy journey is set to air on RT on March 13. In order to put this grinding pandemic behind us once and for all? And if you go to the Museum of Equal Justice in Montgomery, Alabama, [Equal Justice Initiative Director] Bryan Stevenson says the same thing: We need to recognize [that] these 5000 lynchings took place in the United States[a 2019 Report from the EJI documents more than 4440 racial terror lynchings in the U.S. between 1877 and 1950]. His is another example of how well powerful systems, in this case, the almighty NFL, can throw a PR cocoon around people and project to the public only the parts of its culture that serve its business interests until they dont. It doesn't mean we agree on everything, we don't, but that's healthy," he said. And whether, you know, be it Dr. King or, a great friend to America and a great leader, Congressman Lewis, [who] was a great personal friend of mine and served our country beautifully, would say peaceful nonviolent protest is how we that's how we make progress. And that's all part of his story of redemption and his story of being a changed person. Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta is the first nonprofit legal advocacy organization dedicated to protecting the civil rights of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander (AANHPI) and Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian (AMEMSA) communities in Georgia and the Southeast. And now their story is a page-turning novel. Organizations also called to move The Masters, which begins April 8. Another Home. He had three children with his first wife Diana Blank, whom he divorced in 1993. Brian and Arthur welcomed their daughter Blake into the world via Arthur's sister Aoife, who acted as a surrogate for the couple, back in September -- with Brian previously teasing the documentary before Blake's arrival. Did the Vikings and NFL Just Blacklist Another Left-Leaning Player? /Creator ( w k h t m l t o p d f 0 . 260 14th St. NW A company where we already know from law suits the teams executives treated its cheerleaders like Vegas escorts and, yup, traded nudie pictures of them changing outfits. Virginia Prescott is theGracie Award-winning host of On Second Thought for Georgia Public Broadcasting. Blank who grew up in New York City said he believes the US is going through one of the most tumultuous times in its history. And Ambassador Young, another good friend would say the same thing. Now 78, he is largely beloved in Georgia as an entrepreneur, owner of two professional sports teams and a prolific philanthropist. He released a statement five days after Gov. The system has worked well for the multi-billionaire and co-founder of The Home Depot. These are not political issues, they are human issues that need serious, earnest attention from leaders and . However, many Americans are still being denied access to their vote and their ability to fully participate in our democracy. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images), WSOC TV facebook feed(Opens a new window), >> Go home. The largest donor was Falcons owner Arthur Blank. So that was a low price a lower price than before Michael Vick the star quarterback was born 22 years before that. Please consider making a gift today to support this vital public service. Dr. Sanjay Gupta speaks with businessman Arthur Blank about gun regulation and philanthropy. Blank and Marcus put their discounting experiment to the test in their own brand of warehouse stores called Home Depot and opened the first two Atlanta-area stores in 1979. Georgia Politics FOX 5 Atlanta ATLANTA - Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United Owner Arthur Blank said Tuesday afternoon he believes voting should be made "easier, not harder for every eligible. He received his MBA from Harvard. How do I do my part in it? Paul, are you there? Its a story about making bad choices and the impact of young people. Its also part memoir of how his ethics evolved from watching his father run a neighborhood pharmacy in Queens, New York, to launching multi-billion dollar ventures. All Rights Reserved. Opponents of the bill argue it's too restrictive and targets minority voters. Politicians, business owners and celebrities are speaking out to share their thoughts on Floyds death, the issues his killing have brought to the forefront and the protests that turned to chaos, specifically in Atlanta. So I'm happy to see that, you know, he came back to Atlanta and spent time here. Blank told Business Insider that despite their differences, running a company is "not a red issue or a blue issue" and is instead about sharing the same values. But the level where this Gruden idiocy touches the countrys perilous moment is where the NFL arguably one of the most popular and therefore influential organizations/corporations in the country could and should use Grudens buffoonish racism and sexism to make unambiguous statements to its fans, which is to say just about everyone in the country. So we had 35, 40 players kneeling before that, after that speech, we had close to 300 players kneeling because they took it personally and their families took it personally and their parents and their siblings and their grandparents and their heritage was being challenged. Atlanta Falcons vNew Orleans Saints Owner Arthur Blank of the Atlanta Flacons reacts before a game against the New Orleans Saints at the Mercedes Benz Superdome on November 10, 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Seventy percent of the players in the NFL are African American a disproportionate number. I seriously doubt the leagues TV ratings or ad revenue would suffer an iota. But COVID vaccination, as a consequence of being made political by belligerent partisans, many of whom love football more than life itself, is terrifying territory for the NFL. "And I'm not 100 years old I'm getting there, but I'm not but the things I see and deal with are just inherently not what's made this country great. Weve never won a Super Bowl, and this years loss in Super Bowl LI was especially hard to take. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. He would say, I don't need to be cut any slack, you know. It's the customers. "It's not a red issue or a blue issue, it's about how you treat people, whether it be guests, fans, customers, associates, or shareholders in the case with HD," said Blank, whose Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation has granted over $800 million to help underserved people across the nation. I, like almost everyone else, had already started celebrating at halftime. And then as Dr. King wrote in his last book, which his wife published a year after he passed away. Blank retired as Home Depot's co-chairman in. The NFL owners club is a remarkable collection of avaricious gargoyles. In a statement released on the Mercedes-Benz Stadium Twitter account, attributed to Blank, he said Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation leadership conveyed his sentiment directly to state officials in recent weeks. GPBs Virginia Prescott asked Blank about some of those stories in a conversationpresented in collaboration with Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlantas Book Festival in Your Living Room, the National JCC Literary Consortium and the Atlanta History Center. It is making no promises that it will reveal everything it has found out about the Redskins and others who had contact with the team. They all understand it's, you know, you have an opportunity to be here on Earth and how do you want to leave it? Please, please stop this violence!! And today that's 2,200 stores in Canada, United States and Mexico probably have a market capitalization today of about $300 billion. Like all stories meant to inspire, he takes some knocks. Blank, speaking with Falcons reporters via phone from the Super Bowl, expressed confidence in the direction of the team following a 7-10 finish under second-year coach Arthur Smith. 17. Why Is Doc Jensen Still So Obsessed With His Long-Disproven COVID Claims? . Born on September 27, 1942, Blank owns the Atlanta, Georgia sports teams - the Atlanta Falcons of the NFL and Atlanta United of the MLS. 2023 FOX Television Stations, Georgia Secretary of State calls many election changes 'solid', study by ESPN and FiveThirtyEight in October 2020, too restrictive and targets minority voters, Cobb leader says moving MLB All-Star game in protest would hurt business, Democrats dispute police report in Georgia lawmakers arrest, Civil rights groups file new lawsuit over Georgia voting law, Photos show rescue of Woodstock man 'buried up to his neck' in collapsed trench, Frederick, MD tanker explosion leaves 1 dead; Shuts down part of US-15, Sheriff's office continues five-year-long search for missing Carrollton man, Georgia baby girl reported missing with man diagnosed with mental illness, police say, Jesse Wilson: Adoptive mother arrested in boy's death in Arizona, Clayton County twin sisters make history rising the ranks in Georgia UPS facility, Alex Murdaugh killed wife, son to buy time, prosecutor says, UGA football star Jalen Carter facing charges in fatal crash: What we know, Young Thug trial: Judge orders probe of leaked evidence, Families intensify search for two men missing for more than a week. Sadly, sometimes these young men and women get involved in that cycle and they never get out of it. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images). I mean, it wasn't like, You're Republican or Democrat. One of the robbers tied me up in the bathroom, the bathtub, and I said a few things to him, which, at 10 years old, I don't think my mother even knew I knew those words. He's committed to his wife now, his children. But go ahead and do it, if that's what you want. So we did it. Walz Cooperation With Law Enforcement Deserves Praise, Not Punishment, If You Think Republicans Cant Ban Abortion in Minnesota, Look No Further than Iowa, Russia, Ukraine and My Seven Months with YouTube. And I told him before, You get in a convertible and drive around the field and Michael, there are 73,000 people in the building. We believe the right to vote is sacred and should be protected, so that we can have an active and engaged citizenry that participates in our democracy year-round, not just during presidential election cycles. The Falcons were the first pro football team in the South, founded during the civil rights era in 1965. Please stop the violence!, Im not in Atlanta, but if I were I would have been standing with our Mayor! Hopefully we'll get back in the playoffs, but not as well as the first three years. ,> U#kw1%dHT6qZq]9Ki o /Filter /DCTDecode /Title ( A r t h u r b l a n k p o l i t i c s) To many Atlantans, myself included, leaving Turner Field was symbolic of the white flight that has defined the city since the 1960s. So it really never defined me. I've had conversations with a number of senators who made it very clear that some of their best friends, both politically and otherwise, are on the other side of the aisle. And next thing I know, he was sitting on his knees and with a gun to his head. If you would like to customise your choices, click 'Manage privacy settings'. And, you know, you see the blending of every type of person and personality you can imagine. I mean, those fans, they feel like that's the only sport that we're hosting in that stadium. But you want your core values to be the same, ideally. You know, he uses the phrase community of chaos, that we move away from chaos and towards community and community in a very broad sense, community with each other. And I think we got disconnected. Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank said Wednesday he is encouraged by the progress of quarterback Desmond Ridder and the potential of building around the rookie. Of the other 60% who do come, half are rooting for the other team. So I understood what they were saying: They just wanted support noise. Shrinking from conflict over something as valid, real and life-protecting as a vaccine is not what Id call, manly, brave, courageous or patriotic. Like many other enormous corporations the NFL, selling a slick, bristling mix of testosterone and patriotism, ducks away from anything with a whiff of political conflict. I mean, it doesn't make a difference how old you are. 8 In 2012, Blank signed the Giving Pledge and committed to giving more than half of his wealth away to philanthropic efforts in his lifetime. A little shaky now. That Vote for Secretary of State? 10, Following proposed changes to Georgia voting laws in early 2021, Blank released a statement saying, We should be working to make voting easier, not harder for every eligible citizen, and that his businesses and family foundation will support efforts that advance voting access for the citizens of Georgia and across the nation. 11 Blank also participated in an online call with over 100 corporate executives to discuss taking action following changes to state voting laws including the possibility of delaying investments in states that pass allegedly restrictive voting laws. Kemp and the law's backers said it provides some common-sense reformsto ensure elections are secure. At the time, Atlanta liked to call itself The City Too Busy to Hate, but as more African Americans moved to the city the moniker shifted to The City Too Busy Moving to Hate, as more white Atlantans escaped the city to the northern suburbs. /CA 1.0 The Athletic's Felipe Crdenas joined Georgia Public Broadcasting's Orlando Montoya tohelp breakdown what fans can expect this year on and off the field. GALEO has also handed out flyers at city events, supermarkets, and churches that target Latinos. Arthur blank politics The largest donation made to a political party by an Atlanta Falcons employee was by Arthur Blank. How could Trump possibly have lost re-election? Enter your email address to be notified about new posts. (Confidentiality, you know.) Now it's ranked like seventh. One of the beauties is that when you come to the stadium, it feels like it's the United Nations. Together we will rise above this on the strength of what has always made Atlanta great its people, its leaders of past and present and its unique culture that is welcoming to all. 4 0 obj . << Kimball previously served as the vice president of network support at Teach for All. >> And if all goes to plan, its also going to help a depressed community thats heard big talk before. No, I'm not. Think about How do I listen to the people that are actually trying to serve and how do we put results in place that would give them the very best chance for equality and for success and for fair treatment? And I think we have to strive more for that. You're going to get a lot of your fellow owners really pissed. But Its All Too Familiar. Lawlessness, vandalism and intentionally upending the peace with any form of violence has never been productive and is not the answer. Sign up for notifications from Insider! Blank's statement did not specify any initiatives or call any elected officials or political parties by name. This is chaos. Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank is married to Angela Macuga, his third wife. Mercedes-Benz Stadium will also be home to Atlantas MLS team, Atlanta United FC. Its more like cowardly, and meatheaded. We Have Every Reason To Expect a Lot More from the NFL, no promises that it will reveal everything it has found out. By all accounts, those associated with the new stadium and the Westside view their presence as at least a 10-20 year commitment toward revitalizing a downtrodden community and bringing the city together. Animals and Pets Anime Art Cars and Motor Vehicles Crafts and DIY Culture, Race, and Ethnicity Ethics and Philosophy Fashion Food and Drink History Hobbies Law Learning and Education Military Movies Music Place Podcasts and Streamers Politics Programming Reading, Writing, and Literature Religion and Spirituality Science Tabletop Games . I want you guys to come up with real solutions. When I left [Home Depot] in 2001, [it] was the second largest retailer in the world, second only to Wal-Mart. Mercedes-Benz Stadium is located adjacent to the Falcons current home, the Georgia Dome, in Atlantas Westside. Copyright 2023 InfluenceWatch. Blank allowed the previous front office to make shortsighted moves that still are costing the. You know, better than in the 40s and 50s, but not where we should be. So I would fight for that and surround myself with people who believe the same thing, because you have to have that brain power in every institution or corporation or nonprofit. Marcus handed the CEO reigns to Blank in 1997; Blank held the position until a new president and CEO was hired in 2000. And being a good listener, it's an art form that we all can possess. 6 0 obj He's done a lot of work in terms of animal rights, which has been great and been appreciated by all of those agencies and all those institutions. Continued: https://t.co/yePGJUaGVV, Ive got a lot of love and respect for police officers., We dont want to see Targets burning. 1, I think at that time I didn't probably fully appreciate the environment, the communities and neighborhood that Michael was raised in, an area called New Newport News. So I think that part of that comes out of really being a good listener and responding to what you're hearing and trying to find a way to make things work for the benefit of everybody collaboratively.

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